The present invention relates to ethanol production processes and systems. More particularly, the invention relates to processes and systems for producing additional ethanol from byproducts of an ethanol production facility.
The production of ethanol for use as a gasoline additive or a straight liquid fuel continues to increase as petroleum costs rise and environmental concerns become more pronounced. Ethanol may be produced in a dry milling process by grinding corn or other grains into a powder or flour and then liquefying, fermenting, and distilling it to produce alcohol, carbon dioxide, and byproducts. Conventional ethanol production processes produce ethanol from the starch portion of the grain but do not produce any usable ethanol from the fiber portions of the grain, which are primarily found in the byproducts. Instead, the byproducts are typically dehydrated and used as animal feed. Moreover, because the byproducts are high in fiber content, the resultant animal feed is difficult for monogastrics to digest.